random things

1. The California Wine Fair is coming on March 30th, so save the date, and some room in your glass.

2. After having three teeth removed and a bleak, colourless week of NO WINE and lots of soft, uninspiring food, Dave handed me this.

About all I can tell you is that it's red and it's from Portugal. I could sense a balanced feeling with not too much tannin, but a bright juicy texture. I can also tell you that about half of a bottle was the medicine I had been missing.

3. I moved to something tried and true for the rest of the weekend's imbibing. 

4. Dave's gnocchi doesn't have any sharp edges, and little pillowy bundles + sore mouth = good.

5. An endearing line from The Solitude of Love: "You can love someone who reads different books... or someone who likes different landscapes, but you can't love someone who doesn't drink wine."

UPDATE: Whoops, it's The Silence of Love (French Film). That's what I get for trying to write while taking medication.

Gnocchi a la Dave
-from America's Test Kitchen

2 pounds russet potatoes
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp flour (and extra for the counter)
1 tsp plus 1 tbsp salt

-poke potatoes 8 times with paring knife and bake at 450 degrees until soft through the middle
-peel with a paring knife
-process through a ricer or food mill onto a baking sheet, spread out and allow to cool
-transfer to a bowl and gently stir in egg
-sprinkle flour and 1 tsp salt over potato and egg and combine
-transfer to lightly floured counter and knead for about 1 minute
-cut dough into eight pieces, gently roll each piece into 1/2 inch thick rope, dusting with flour to prevent sticking
-cut rope into 3/4 inch lengths
-roll each length down the tines of a fork to create ridges
-bring to boil a pot of water with tbsp of salt
-gently lower gnocchi into water... when they float to the top (about 1 or 2 minutes) they are done